Wait For Me, A Niff Story
by italianbikini
Summary: Nick and the Warblers are the homophobic "gang" at McKinley. Jeff is the boy they attack. What happens when Nick and Jeff start...being nice to each other?  Okay, that summary sucked. Rated M for language and possible mature themes later.
1. Chapter 1

**I own neither Nick Duval or Jeff Sterling or Glee. I wish I did. **

Jeff sighed and closed his locker. Another shitty day had gone by, and now he had to go back home where everything was even more messed up. His dad had his expectations for his only son, and most of the time Jeff couldn't live up to it. His mom had died two years ago; she wasn't there to keep the peace anymore. He was tired a lot from fighting with his dad.

It was just Jeff and his dad. And it was so screwed up.

"Hey, fag."

Jeff stiffened and turned. He hadn't come out, but people assumed because he didn't have a girlfriend and liked to dance that he was gay. The slurs were common, especially from them.

Them. His tormenters. The Warblers: Wesley Montgomery, David Thompson, Blaine Anderson, Kurt Hummel, Thad Harwood, and Nick Duval.

When it came to Nick, Jeff got a bit weak at the knees, but he would never admit it. Because Nick was beautiful. Long brunette hair. Chocolate brown eyes. A muscular athlete's body. Yes, Nick was beautiful. And not to mention gay. However, he was the one who started the Warblers in the first place, so they couldn't torment Nick.

He was so hypocritical. But Jeff admired him anyway because of the way he was so comfortable in his own skin.

"Hello, boys." Jeff tried being civil. He really did. Kill them with kindness.

"You mocking us?" Blaine asked, crossing his arms. He was more of the wannabe of the group, he and Kurt. They were the newest ones.

"He's a homo, it's all he knows," Wes said, evoking laughter from the group. Yes, Jeff tried to kill them with kindness, but they killed him in general.

"I'm not gay," Jeff said coolly. It wasn't the first time he'd denied it. "Blondes just aren't attractive here."

"You're so lying," Kurt said. "It's obvious on your face."

"Oh yeah? How would you know?" Jeff shot back. "It takes one to know one."

Kurt stiffened and Blaine threw him a glance. Nick, who had been unusually silent today, turned to Kurt slowly.

"Is that true, Hummel?"

"No, I don't-I'm not-I'm straight!" Kurt protested, flustered. "I'm dating Brittany, remember? I'm with her."

"That's three denials in one sentence. You look scared, Hummel. You sure you aren't a fag like him?" Nick gestured to Jeff. "Sure you aren't fuck buddies?"

"Positive. I'm not an idiot. Guys belong with girls, fags belong in hell," Kurt recited.

_What a load of shit,_ Jeff thought. _Kurt is so gay. And it looks like he and Blaine are the fuck buddies here._

"Good." Nick turned to Jeff. "So, Sterling, what'll it be today? Swirlie, dumpster, noogie, or the usual beating?"

"Dumpster, please."

Jeff knew there was no way to get out of it, so he picked the least painful.

"What's that? Usual beating it is? Oh, alright, if you insist."

Nick lunged forward, socking Jeff in the stomach. Jeff keeled over. "Like that, fag? Is that what you want?"

"Why me?" Jeff wheezed out.

"Because you're obviously the biggest faggot in this school."

"You deserve to die."

"No one will ever love you."

"Go to hell."

With every word, Nick hit Jeff, kicked him, shoved him, and finally got Jeff crumpled on the ground.

"How'd that feel, fag?" Nick whispered hotly in Jeff's ear, pulling the blonde up by the collar of his shirt. "Did you like that? Huh?"

"You're such…you're a…hypocrite." Jeff nearly passed out on the floor. Today had been the worst beating he'd gotten thus far.

"Excuse me?"

"You're just like me," Jeff whispered. "If they were beating up every person believed to be gay, then you'd be in my spot right now. Maybe even worse. And you're scared. You're scared that one day, you will be here. You'll be on the ground, nearly bleeding to death in the worst years of your life, and no one will care. No one will stop and think, poor Nick Duval, on the ground, I should help him. No one will think that, because they know that you don't give a fuck if someone helps you. You'd rather die than admit to yourself and anyone else that _you are just like me_. You are…you're a hypocrite, Nick Duval. And you'll die a hypocrite."

Jeff didn't know where that had come from, but he liked it. It felt nice to tell Nick exactly what he was thinking every time he felt a vessel burst from the contacts of Nick's fists.

"And by the way-screw you."

With that, Jeff lost consciousness. His head slumped over, blood trickling down his nearly invisible eyebrows.

Nick stood up, shaken to the core. This kid, this boy who hadn't even _admitted_ that he was gay, knew exactly what Nick was about. And that scared Nick more than the prospect of Wes and David and the rest turning on him for liking boys.

And then there was the fact that Jeff looked so vulnerable when he said it. Like he actually believed it.

"Yo, Duval. You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, Montgomery. Why'd you think I wouldn't be?"

"You're kinda pale." Thad shrugged. "What'd the fag say?"

"You implying-" Nick grabbed Thad's shirt and shoved him towards the lockers. "-that I'm weak?" Nick demanded, avoiding the question completely.

"N-n-no, Nick. N-not at a-a-all." Thad was shaking in his boots.

"Good. Now, let-wait," Nick said after a moment of hesitation. "Should we take him to the nurse or something?"

"Going soft, Duval? Never thought I'd see the day."

"No, I just…never mind. Let's go."

The rest of the boys shrugged and followed Blaine, who was closest to the exit. Nick lagged behind, looking at Jeff's crumpled figure. He felt bad just leaving the boy there. He was obviously unconscious, and this was the first time that had happened. Nick didn't want to kill Jeff, or even seriously injure him-only harm him to the point that he would want to transfer.

Throwing one last glance at the boys going through the door at the end of the hall, Nick scooped Jeff up and took him to the nurse. The room was empty, so Nick laid the blonde down on the sick cot and exited quickly so as not to be seen.

Once outside, the boys looked at him.

"Where you been, Duval?" David questioned.

"Just a few last minute touch ups," Nick lied. The boys took the answer without a doubt, but an unfamiliar feeling pooled in Nick's stomach at how they wanted to just leave Jeff there.

_Guys belong with girls, and fags belong in hell._

It was cruel, and Jeff had been right-Nick was a hypocrite. One of the most basic kind.

Jeff didn't show at school on Wednesday or Thursday, and by Friday, Nick was sure Jeff had transferred. But that lazy Friday morning in homeroom, as Nick sat on Blaine's desk and watched Kurt suck Brittany's face off, a familiar streak of blonde raced into the room, effectively running into Wes and David.

"Watch where you're going, fag."

"Thought you'd be a no-show. Do you need another lesson?" David cracked his knuckles.

Jeff shook his head mutely and moved to his seat next to Blaine. Nick looked at Jeff closely. There were bruises starting to form on his wrists and forearms, and he had a poorly-concealed black eye. By the way he was walking, something was wrong with either his left leg or left foot, and he seemed tired. Every breath seemed to take a lot of work-or, Nick imagined wryly, he had bruises on his chest, too. Maybe even both.

_Fuck,_ Nick thought. _I wonder what happened._

He would have just asked, but they weren't friends, and it wasn't his problem.

First period-math. Nick sighed. He hated math with a burning passion of a fiery thousand suns.

But it was slightly more bearable today. Jeff sat next to Nick, and it wasn't uncommon for the students to exchange notes in class. Just not those two.

_Did I do that to you? _Nick wrote carefully before folding it and tossing it onto Jeff's paper. Jeff looked up, terror in his eyes, but Nick kept looking straight ahead, no smirk on his face.  
>Nick heard the blonde laugh quietly at the note, then the note was back on his desk.<p>

_Why do you care?_

Nick smiled discreetly before responding.

_I didn't mean to hurt you like that. I was just feeling…angrier than usual that day._

_Oh? Why?_

_Did I do that to you? You never answered my question._

_No._

Nick bit the inside of his cheek at Jeff's blunt answer.

_Who did?_

_None of your fucking business, Duval. Going soft, I see._

_No, I just_

_I'm not going_

Nick sighed, frustrated.

_Why the hell does everyone ask that? Look, Sterling, I just wanted to know. Is that so hard to understand?_

_Yeah, it is. You hate me, Nick._

_But you don't._

It was a few minutes before the note landed back on Nick's desk.

_What makes you say that?_

_Nobody else would know exactly what I was thinking that day. You did. And that leads me to believe that you don't hate me. Not completely, that is. I know I'm an asshole, but_

"Taking notes today, Mr. Duval? I'm surprised," the teacher called.

Nick shrugged. "I do the work. Sometimes. And I plan to tonight. Need notes for that so I'm not lost."

"Good. Now, class, back to acute triangles…"

Picking up where he left off, he continued writing.

_somehow, you still managed to put me on the spot like that. Jeff, I'm sorry, but being mean and taking out anger on other people is just what I do. And from one gay to another, I'm so fucking sorry._

Jeff swallowed as he read the note. Nick hadn't insulted him once in the mini paragraph-in fact, he'd apologized. **Twice.**

_It…it's okay. I forgive you._

_You shouldn't._

_Wow, someone's in a good mood today._

_Who did that to you?_

Jeff hesitated, pen just barely touching the paper, before deciding against giving the note back. He wrote the answer anyway, but when the bell rang, he shredded it and threw it in the trash, not looking back as he went to French II.

Nick sighed as Jeff walked away. Nick was tempted to skip. Jeff obviously didn't want to tell Nick who hurt the blonde, so what was the point of even sticking around?

Oh yeah. He had the Warblers to deal with.

Swimming in P.E. was always the worst part of school, Nick decided. Everyone was wearing their Speedos, so their junk was plain to see as they changed, then only barely covered up. And none of them had shirts on. Yes, swimming was terrible.

Especially for the gay ones.

Nick sighed and discreetly looked at some of the boys. Some were toned-in fact, most were. Strong shoulders, toned abs, and nice, _nice_ tans. Nick was sure that the teachers were testing him, seeing how long he could hold out before he jumped one of his classmates.

"Hey Duval, you trying to check out our junk?" Karofsky demanded, slipping a shirt on.

"Not yours. No one would," Nick shot back. "There isn't any to look at anyway." It had been a few weeks since the incident with Jeff and the nurse, and they hadn't really seen him since. Since there was no one to beat, Nick was feeling snarkier than usual.

The boys roared in laughter and Blaine bumped Nick's shoulder.

"What the hell?"

"The most action you've got is at night in your bed _alone_," Nick laughed.

The entire room exploded in laughter. Nick pulled his shirt on and motioned to the Warblers. "Come on, we're leaving."

Jeff, who had hidden behind the lockers to avoid Nick and the others, laughed silently to himself as well. Nick may be a fucking asshole, but it doesn't mean he can't be funny.

Twelve and a half minutes later exactly, Jeff was running from the school to his car, just wanting to drive a while. But something made him stop.

A broken cry for help.

"Hey-stop! Please!"

Jeff turned. The sight before him made his stomach drop in an uneasy way.

Nick was curled on the ground in a fetal position next to the dumpster while Wes screamed profanities at him and David pounded the brunette into the ground with his fists and feet-at the same time.

"Nick," Jeff whispered timidly.

Almost as if he had heard the blonde, Nick looked up, terror plain in his eyes.

"JEFF!"

"Aw, calling to your fuck buddy?" Wes laughed cruelly as David kicked Nick one last time. "How adorable," the Asian spat. "Come on, David, let's go. Don't wanna catch the homo bug."

They walked away.

Nick, meanwhile, was in terrible pain. He was sure to be completely black and blue tomorrow on every surface of his body.

Jeff ran over to the broken brunette. "Nick-"

"It hurts," Nick whispered. "It hurts so much."

Jeff was almost tempted to say "I told you so!" but stopped himself as Nick started coughing his lungs out.

"Nick, it's gonna be okay, alright? Come on, up you go." Jeff started to reach for Nick, but Nick shook his head.

"No…please…hurts too much. Call my…get my phone. Mom is on…on speed dial."

Jeff frowned. "Nick, I don't know where your phone is."

"Front…front pocket. To the left."

Jeff carefully put his hand in Nick's front left skinny jean pocket. Nick coughed some more.

"It's out of battery."

"Damn it."

Nick attempted to sit up, but was obviously too weak to. He put his hand to his mouth and coughed again. When he pulled it away, it was bright red.

Jeff's stomach churned. Sure, his own blood he was okay with, but when it came to other people's it was a different story.

"Nick, do you trust me?"

He didn't know what made him ask it, just that he didn't want to scare Nick with what he was about to do.

"I…what?"

"Do you trust me?"

Nick coughed up more blood, some splattering on Jeff's shirt. The blonde unconsciously flinched.

"If…if you'll help me, plea-" Nick went into another round of coughing. "Please," he finished weakly. "Please help me."

Jeff nodded and picked Nick up bridal style.

Nick's stomach lurched. "What-"

"I'm going to take you to the hospital. This is really bad if you're coughing up blood."

Nick's head was hazy, so all that he heard was "hospital" and "coughing" and "blood".

"Blood," he whispered.

Jeff's arms tightened around Nick. This was scary. Even he, who had always been attacked and shoved and kicked and punched and the lot, had never been hurt this badly. Nick was obviously delusional, or nearly unconscious at the very least. This really _was_ bad.

"Jeff…" Nick moaned when Jeff set him in the backseat. His hands grabbed at Jeff's shirt. "Don't leave me…"

"I'm just going to be up front."

"NO!"

"Nick, let go."

"Please don't leave me!"

"I'm not!"

"Jeff…"

Jeff looked at Nick sadly. The brunette obviously needed somebody to hold, but everyone else had gone and those two were the only ones in the parking lot.

"Jeff, please. I need-"

Nick started coughing again. Jeff panicked and grabbed the towel hanging over the front seat, holding it up to Nick's mouth.

"Here, use this."

Nick smiled gratefully. "Thanks."

"Sure. Now Nick, I'm going to go sit up front-"

"Can I come?"

"No, you need to stay back here where you can lie down."

"But I feel safer when I'm with you."

Jeff froze. Nick pulled Jeff's arm so that Jeff was sitting next to him. "Jeffie, please stay."

"You're-you're delusional, you don't know what you're saying."

"No, I know what I'm saying. I want you to stay with me, please." Nick coughed once more into the towel. "If I'm going to die, I want to die with someone who understands what I'm going through."

Suddenly, everything clicked for Jeff. Why Nick was acting so normal. Why he was being clingy. Why he was snuggling up next to Jeff at the moment, smiling softly and handing back the towel.

Nick thought he was going to die.

"Thanks for helping me after all I did to you."

"Nick Duval, you are _not_ going to die. Let me go-we're going to the hospital."

"Jeffie, don't lie to yourself. I'm going to die."

Jeff unpeeled himself from Nick. "Not if I have anything to say about it."

As Jeff got in the drivers seat, Nick sighed mentally. He really did feel fine (well, not fine, but better than earlier), but he was disappointed. Disappointed because he couldn't fight off his friends. Disappointed because he was letting his true rainbow show and his badass façade crack. And mainly disappointed because Jeff didn't want to snuggle while he slowly bled to death.

Nick was past lying to himself. Jeff was attractive. Maybe it was because Jeff was the only other gay guy Nick knew, but maybe Nick really liked Jeff.

Either way, Nick wanted to die in Jeff's arms.

If Jeff knew what Nick was thinking, he'd blame it on the loss of blood. But Jeff didn't know what Nick was thinking, so Nick was entitled to think that maybe he was starting to fall for Jeff.

_Wait,_ Nick thought. _Get a hold of yourself. Think about what you're thinking. There's no way you'd fall for a fag._

_Then who else would you fall for? _Nick had mental conversations with himself a lot. He'd go crazy, otherwise. He wasn't crazy now, though. Somehow (fate or not), the rational side was named Jeff.

_A nice, pretty girl who will make me grilled cheese whenever I want it. And give me easy sex._

_You're delusional. Like the Real Jeff said._

_Oh?_

_You are a…for lack of a better word…fag. Ugh, shudder. I hate using that word. But you are. You're gay and you've known for a while. So you may end up with a girl, but you'll never _love_ her. You can only fake it. Your heart will always lie with a boy._

_Shut up._

Suddenly, Nick found himself in Jeff's arms and heading towards the front door of the hospital.

_See? Real Jeff is a good candidate. He's tall, strong, blonde, and super sweet. He'd be the perfect boyfriend, _Mental Jeff chided.

_Again, I will repeat, SHUT. UP._

Jeff looked down at Nick, who was mouthing words to himself every once in a while. Jeff smiled. It was kinda cute.

"How may I-oh, dear," the lady at the front desk said when she saw the blonde and the brunette coming. "What happened?"

"He was beaten by…by some muggers, I think. He's losing a lot of blood. Can we get a-"

"Yes, of course." She pressed a little button and said, "Can I have an emergency team to the front lobby ASAP?"

Jeff watched in a daze as the paramedics came and put Nick on a stretcher.

"Jeffie!" Nick called, reaching for the blonde.

Jeff smiled and squeezed Nick's hand. "I'll be here, okay? I'll wait for you."

"Okay," Nick said in a small voice. "Okay. Wait for me."

"I will, okay? Go with the nice men now."

"Okay."

He almost reminded Jeff of a small child.

Jeff pulled out his phone and texted his mom that he wouldn't be coming home tonight. Then he sat down to wait out a very long night.


	2. The PreAftermath

**I don't own Glee, again. I really, really, REALLY wish I did. But then they might have to rename it "Jeff Sterling's Life at Dalton Academy with Nick Duval and the Warblers (Also Starring Kurt Hummel and Blaine Anderson) [And Sometimes Brittany S. Pierce]". But I don't own Glee, so it stays the "Rachel Berry and Finn Hudson Soap Opera".**

When Nick woke up, he was confused. He had things sticking out of his arms, something constricting his head, and was wearing a six-sizes-too-small backwards plastic Snuggie. And the room was bright white.

Nick hated white.

His first thought was that he had been abducted by aliens. Next, he remembered Wes and David turning on him, so he thought he was dead. But when Jeff walked through the door carrying a McDonald's milkshake and some fries, he knew he was just in a hospital, recovering from whatever those boys had done to him.

"Oh, you're awake," Jeff said.

Nick blinked rapidly. "Yeah," he finally said. He didn't know what Jeff was thinking. Instead of sitting down, the blonde was still standing by the now closed door.

"That's good."

"I…I guess."

Jeff finally broke eye contact and stared at the monitors. "The doctors said you'd be okay to come back to school in about a week. I think they're letting you out tomorrow."

"That's good. I don't like this room."

"Neither do I."

Jeff still hadn't looked back at Nick. After a few minutes, Nick finally spoke. "You can sit down, if you want."

"I'm alright."

Nick sighed. He wasn't getting anywhere with the blonde.

Jeff stood there awkwardly. Nick, in all honesty, looked terrible. He was pale with prominent circles under his eyes. One eye was almost completely black and bruises were also visible on his arms and neck. He had medical tape wrapped around his unruly hair, and his wimpy covers and over-exposed skin made Jeff think that Nick might be really cold.

Either that or the doctors were testing Jeff to see if he'd finally confess his feelings and jump Nick.

Jeff took a sip of the milkshake to give him something to do.

"So…" Nick said.

Jeff sighed. "I should probably go now."

"NO!"

Nick's arm was outstretched towards Jeff, a broken expression on his face.

"I mean…please don't leave."

"Why?"

_Smooth, Nick. Real smooth._

"I just…I don't want to be alone."

Jeff bit his lip. He'd always been a sucker for the puppy dog face, no matter who it was.

"Well…I guess it wouldn't hurt to stay for a little bit."

Nick's face lit up. That's when Jeff knew he'd made the right decision.

Jeff sat down in the visitor's chair, putting the French fries on the arm rest. "How are you feeling?"

"Shitty."

"Oh."

"Sorry, that probably wasn't the best answer. My head hurts."

"Fry?"

Nick almost gave a half-smile. "Am I allowed to?"

"Beats me. But you were never one for rules."

"Oh yeah."

Just then, Kurt and Blaine ran in. "Nick!"

"Yo man, what happened?" Blaine demanded. "All we knew is that you and that fag didn't come to school for the past two days."

_The past two days? And Jeff didn't go either?_

"You look terrible!" Kurt said, grimacing. "Absolutely beat. What the hell-"

"Wes and David turned on me."

"For?"

Nick glared at Blaine. "Why do you think?"

"You ordered them around too much?"

"It's because he's gay," Jeff said quietly. "They turned on him because he's gay."

Blaine and Kurt froze. Kurt was the first to move, turning slowly, almost afraid. "What are you doing here?"

"I was waiting until he woke up." Jeff stood. "Now that you're here, he…he should be fine. See ya, Ni-Duval." Jeff shrugged and nodded to Nick before walking out the door.

Nick sighed, frustrated. "Guys-"

"Maybe _that's_ why."

Blaine nodded at Kurt's vague statement. "_Maybe_."

"Excuse me?"

Blaine winced at Nick's tone. "We…uh…"

"We think that you might-"

"Kurt!"

"-Maybe, just a little-"

"_Kurt!_"

"-Possibly have feelings for-"

"_KURT!_" Blaine finally shouted. "Don't tell him!"

"Well it's true!"

"Feelings for whom?"

"J-"

"Kurt, if you say one more thing, I swear, I will-"

"You aren't scary, Hobbit," Nick said. "Kurt, who might I have feelings for?"

"Jeff."

Nick gulped, but didn't deny it nor approve it.

"Do you?" Blaine asked quietly.

Nick stayed silent.

"Nick, if you do, then we don't have a problem with it. We thought Wes and David were joking when they said that they were going to turn on you-"

"Wait, you knew?"

"We didn't think they would!" Blaine shrunk under Nick's glare. "We're sorry, Nick."

"We really are!" Kurt said.

Jeff heard the friends bickering and sighed. Jeff didn't have many friends. Actually, none at all. No, he was alone.

_Because no one wants to be friends with the fag._

Jeff sighed and drank some more milkshake. Yes, eavesdropping was usually considered bad, but Jeff didn't mind. He was actually waiting for those two to leave so he could go in and sit with Nick some more. Nick was actually being civil, and then he looked almost…hurt, maybe, when Jeff said that he was going. Jeff liked this soft side of Nick. That gave Jeff hope that maybe, just maybe, the other boy could be a friend in the coming years.

The chances were slim, however.

"You guys are fucking assholes! Why didn't you tell me?" Nick shouted, almost on cue.

"We're sorry, Nick! We didn't think they'd actually go through with it. We thought they were just having a bad day and were being…uh…"

"You know. Assholes and stuff."

"Can one of you get Jeff, then both get out?"

Jeff's heart leapt. Did he just imagine that, or did Nick really just ask for him?

"Nick, are you serious?"

"Yeah. He gets me. Somebody, go get him."

"What if he left?"

"Go see, why don't you?"

The next thing Jeff knew, Kurt was looking out the doorframe. "Oh, hello, Sterling."

"Yes?"

"Nick wants you."

"I've heard."

Kurt glared at the blonde. "Go."

Blaine and Kurt squeezed through the doorway, trying not to touch Jeff as he walked in. Nick smiled when Jeff walked in, inducing a confused look from the latter.

"Jeff-"

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Why are you so happy to see me? _Me?_ I'm just the fag from school."

"No you're not."

"Aaand apparently, you're still delusional."

"No, I'm not."

"Nick, you don't like me."

"And who said that?"

Jeff pretended to think for a minute, then said, "Well…oh yeah! You."

"Can I still have a fry?"

Jeff blinked. Nick was acting like a puppy dog, which was a funny comparison to how he had been acting two or so minutes ago.

"I-"

"Please?" Nick pulled the puppy dog face out again.

"I-I guess, but-"

"Yay!" Nick bounced up and down as best he could in his position.

"Nick, I think the loss of blood is getting to your head."

"Jeffie, please. All I want is a fry."

"That's my point."

"What?"

Nick didn't like that suddenly Jeff wasn't being very friendly. In fact, Jeff was being almost dismissive. Deflective, even. And confusing, too.

"Nick, before two days ago, you would never have called me Jeffie unless you were mocking how gay it sounded. Now, you kicked your friends out of your hospital room and asked for me because I 'get you'? Seriously, what the hell?"

Nick bit back a frown at Jeff's harsh words. "Well you do."

"How?"

"You're the only one who truly knows what it's like to be gay."

"And that's supposed to make a difference?"

"Well, yeah." Nick bit his lip and looked out the window. "You're comfortable being…you. And…and I'm not. I admire you." _Admire, not like. __**Admire, **_Nick reprimanded himself.

Jeff blanched. That's exactly what he had been thinking about Nick not 72 hours ago.

"Nick-"

"It's okay, you don't have to stay. I don't mind if you want to go." Nick's eyes were closed and his expression resembled that of a kicked puppy.

"Nick-"

"Jeff, you heard me, you can go."

"I-"

"Get out, Sterling."

"And what if I don't?" Jeff finally demanded. "What if I don't want to leave?"

"You kinda implied that you did."

"No, I just didn't know what was going on. Why you were suddenly being so…so nice. To me."

A few minutes of tense and awkward silence passed between the two before Nick finally spoke.

"Can I still have that fry?"

Jeff smiled. "Sure."

"…and I am sorry about that," Nick finished.

"You've said," Jeff said teasingly. The boys laughed.

They'd just spent the last two hours talking (and in Nick's case, apologizing) to each other.

They lapsed into a comfortable silence.

"You never did answer me," Nick said suddenly.

"What?"

"A few weeks ago, when you came in all bruised and stuff. You never told me who did it."

Jeff bristled, remembering. "Oh. That. It was nobody."

"Of course, Odysseus came and attacked you."

_What?_ Jeff thought. Then, _OH! Nohbdy, Odysseus…The Odyssey!_

"Ha ha, very funny."

"But seriously."

"I…I can't tell you."

Nick frowned. "Oh."

"Nick-"

"Why?"

"I-well, he-"

"Who?"

"My-" Jeff sighed, his head in his hands. "Fine. It was my dad. My dad did that to me."

Nick straightened up, looking at the blonde. "What?"

"Yeah. My dad. He beats me. It's…common for the gay community." Jeff shrugged and looked away.

Nick didn't know what to say. He'd never heard of that happening-in real life, that was. In stories, sure, but never real life.

"Jeff, I-"

"If you're going to apologize, I'm advising you right now not to. I don't need it from you."

"You need it from him?"

Jeff nodded. How was it that Nick Duval, the only other gay person that Jeff knew, who had _never_ been in that situation, know Jeff so well?

"If I could, I'd beat the crap out of him," Jeff found himself saying. "Make him feel what I feel at least two times a day. Maybe three, if you contribute."

Nick took in a sharp breath that Jeff was too distracted to notice. _"Make him feel what I feel at least two times a day. Maybe three, if you contribute."_ The words rang in Nick's ears. He helped? He made Jeff feel like that?

"It would be nice to give him just a taste-a small, miniscule taste-of his own medicine. What he gives to me, double fold. Just for once."

Nick shuddered at the seriousness in Jeff's voice. "Jeff, he _is_ your dad."

"No he isn't. He may be my Father, but he will never be my-my Dad." He let his head drop.

"My mother is the same way. They may have raised you, but that doesn't mean they raised you right."

Jeff almost smiled. "Yeah, you're right."

Nick was grateful that Jeff didn't press to know what Nick was really talking about.

A few more minutes passed in silence before the nurse came in.

"Time to go, boys. Visiting hours are almost over."

Jeff looked up. "Visiting hours don't end for another forty-five minutes," he protested.

Nick smiled at the blonde's stubbornness to leave.

"The doctor needs to look at Mr. Duval-_alone_-and he can not have any visitors for that."

"Well-"

"I'm sorry, sir, but I am going to have to ask you to leave now."

"Jeffie, come back tomorrow after school." Nick gave a half smile. "It'll give you a reason not to go home for a while."

"Thanks, but it's not going to solve anything."

"Then go get my-dare I say it-homework. Maybe you can teach me to do math."

Jeff laughed and agreed, leaving a few minutes later. The doctor poked and prodded at Nick before saying he could go as soon as he had a parent or legal guardian sign him out.

"Can I just get Jeff to?" Nick asked.

"Are your parents not in town, son?"

"Er…something like that."

"Mr. Duval, I'm afraid I must have a parent or legal guardian's consent before I release you."

"They don't want me. My parents."

Nick was hoping the doctor would take that as an answer. Apparently not.

"Then we must call human services."

Nick froze. Human services? If they found out-if _anyone_ found out-

"No! Wait, I have-I have an uncle who takes care of me. Let-let me call him."

Nick didn't actually have an uncle, but he was sure Kurt's dad would be kind enough to pretend. Mr. Hummel had a slim respect for Nick for keeping his son safe-Nick was the only one who knew (besides Kurt's dad) that Kurt was at least bi-curious. Nick had never told anyone, and not even Blaine knew.

Nick held the phone up to his ear after dialing.

"_Hello?"_ Kurt answered.

"Hey, cuz."

Kurt laughed. _"Hello, __**cousin**__. To what do I owe this surprise call?"_

"Can I talk to your dad?"

Kurt seemed to catch on. "_He needs to be your uncle, doesn't he." _It wasn't necessarily a question. _"Alright, hold on. DAD!"_

Nick winced at Kurt's loud voice. In a muffled tone, Nick heard the boy talking to his dad and explaining the situation.

"_Hey, Nick,"_ Mr. Hummel said a few seconds later. _"What do you need?"_

"Hey, Uncle Burt. I'm…I'm in the hospital. Can you come sign me out?"

"_Those other boys making trouble for you? Do they know about Kurt?"_

"Not really and no. I still haven't told anybody about that." Nick glared at the eavesdropping nurse. "His secret's safe. But yeah, it was Wes and David."

"_Alright, I'm coming."_

Nick gave Mr. Hummel a few more instructions before thanking him profusely and hanging up.

"He'll be here," Nick said, handing the phone to the nurse.

"Wonderful," he said. "I'll get the doctor and tell him."

Nick waited for a few minutes before he got bored, so he started playing with the buttons on his beside remote.

He pushed the first one and his bed sat up. He smiled; this was much more comfortable.

He pushed the second one. Nick laughed when the bed sat back down before pressing the first one again.

He pushed the third one. The mattress started vibrating.

"Mr. Duval?"

Nick looked up. "Yeah?"

"Mr. Duval, is your uncle coming to get you?"

"Tomorrow."

"Very good."

The next day, Nick knew Burt-his "uncle"-wasn't coming until after work, so the injured brunette waited anxiously for Jeff to come.

10:00 A.M.

Nick woke up, sat in bed, and watched the shitty TV for a little while.

11:00 A.M.

Nick was bored now. He didn't have his phone-it was in his locker.

12:00 noon.

The nurse brought in some crappy soup. Nick didn't know if it was chicken noodle or barf.

1:00 P.M.

_Only about three more hours,_ Nick reminded himself.

2:30 P.M.

Nick watched some Judge Judy before taking a quick nap.

7:00 P.M.

Nick woke up from his "quick" nap.

He looked around-maybe Jeff had stayed, or even just left his books.

There was no sign of the blonde. However, Burt was just walking in.

"Hey, kiddo. How're you feeling?"

"I've been better," Nick mumbled. "Fucking assholes, what the fuck were they thinking?"

"Hey, language, Nick."

"Sorry." Nick sighed. "Am I getting out?"

"Yeah. They're gonna disconnect you first, then we can go."

"Good."

Twenty minutes later, Nick was in Kurt's Navigator in the backseat with Kurt. Burt was driving-and grilling Nick about what happened.

"So what provoked them exactly?"

"I-" Nick gulped. "I said something, and they said it sounded gay, and I said it didn't, and then they beat me up."

"What did you say?" Kurt asked timidly.

"Nothing," Nick answered quickly.

"Nick," Burt said in a warning tone. "What did you say?"

"I…IsaidthatJeff'soutfitwaskindacute," he said in a rush. "Don't compliment anybody's outfit."

Kurt glared at Nick. "Are you sure that it was because you were gay and NOT because you complimented _Jeff_?"

Nick was about to slap Kurt in the arm before he realized the tall brunette might be right.

"Kurt, I-"

"I know, you don't feel that way about Jeff."

"Kurt-"

"But he obviously-"

"Kurt, shut up!"

"Hey, don't speak to my son that way," Burt said angrily.

"Dad, it's fine. I talk way too much, and Nick's just helping me figure out when I've said enough-"

"Kurt."

"Sorry."

Burt laughed a little. "Okay, fine. You boys know how to handle each other, I'll let you be." Meanwhile, they pulled up outside the Hummel-Hudson house. "You go inside and rest, okay, Nick? I don't want you getting hurt anymore."

"Yes sir."

Kurt let Nick go upstairs before turning to his dad. "Dad?"

"Yeah, Kurt?"

"Nick has been protecting me, but I'm going to stay away from Wes and David for a while."

"Good boy."

"So I won't be going out as much."

"You don't have many other friends, do you?"

Kurt shrugged. "Well, I have Blaine."

"Blaine's a good kid."

"Yeah. Just…thought I let you know. In case you started wondering. And I could help out with the shop, if you want. I like working on cars. See, I'm not gay. Hey, maybe I'll take Brittany out for a while. She'd like that. We could go to the zoo. Or I could take her horse riding, but put horns on the horses, and she'd think they're unicorns!" Kurt smiled and jumped up and down. "She'd love that. But what if the horns fall off? She'd be so upset. I hate seeing Brittany upset. She's so fragile-"

"Kurt?"

Burt jumped. He hadn't heard Nick come back downstairs.

"Yeah, Nick? Wait, aren't you supposed to be upstairs? Nicky-"

"Shut up and come upstairs."

When Kurt laughed, Burt decided he wouldn't have to beat Nick up for being rude to his son.

Yet.


	3. Uh Oh

**I wish Glee was mine, but it isn't. *sad face***

**And also, I would like to thank _xXxShannahBunnyxXx_ for her (I hope it's a her, if not, then sorry! :-/) awesome reviews and pointing out just how crazy I am. But after thinking it over, I thought of some responses as to exactly why I said some stuff in earlier chapters that didn't really make sense…(because hey, I really don't want to change the story so these are excuses for why stuff happened). So here goes:**

**Jeff's mom did die, but he still texts her phone because it makes him feel like she was still there and that someone did care about if he lived or died or didn't come home. Jeff's dad, however, doesn't know that, so…yeah.**

**And Nick, being clueless, forgot he had had his phone in his pocket when he woke up because the entire experience (being beaten up by his "best friends") was traumatic and he's just a forgetful person.**

**So I hope that makes sense. If it doesn't…well, tell me and I will rewrite those parts to make it better.**

**Now, after this ridiculously long AN, I give you chapter 3!**

"Kurt? Is it really so bad if I like boys? Because they're the same as girls, but with dicks instead of boobs and a vagina," Nick ventured timidly.

Kurt laughed. "No, it isn't so bad. We know boys better, it would make more sense."

"Yeah, and the fucking Bible never said being gay was a sin." They were in Kurt's room. It had been almost a week since the attack, and Nick was feeling loads better. They were discussing why the boys had attacked Nick and the pros and cons of being gay instead of insulting American Idol like usual. "Fuck, for all we know, Jesus was gay for…for Simon-Peter or whatever."

Kurt laughed again. "True, true."

Nick sighed. "Whatever."

"Hey, dudes," Finn said, poking his head in. "Dinner's almost ready, Mom wants you to come down."

"Coming, Finn."

"Hey, Kurt?"

"Yeah, Nick?"

"You like Blaine, don't you?"

Kurt hesitated before nodding.

"Okay, good. You'd be cute together. And-God, I _am_ a hypocrite, Jeff was right."

"You like Jeff, don't you?"

Nick didn't answer because he didn't know. Did he like Jeff?

_Well, duh._

Cue Mental Jeff entrance.

_You do like Real Jeff._

_Hey Mental Jeff, you can go to hell with the rest of the fags, okay?_

_I'll only go when you do._

_Well…I…shut up!_

Meanwhile across town, Jeff was also talking to himself. Well, not quite talking. He wrote it down-not quite a journal, but close enough.

What do you want in life?

Jeff thought for a moment before picking up another pen and writing down what he thought.

**Hermione Granger and a rocket ship?**

Not Draco Malfoy, _you_, Jeff.

**Well, to be accepted at school and home, for one.**

**And for my dad to not be such an asshole.**

Good answer. Now, tell that to him.

**You obviously have mental issues.**

At least I'm not talking to myself.

Jeff sighed and put the pens up. It was true-he was talking to himself, no matter if it was out loud or not.

"Jeff!"

The blonde winced. His dad was obviously angry tonight.

Why? Jeff didn't know.

How? Alcohol.

What to do?

There was nothing he could do. If he hid or ran, it would only get worse. So he decided to wait it out.

The door slammed open. "Fag," his dad greeted coldly.

Jeff knew better than to speak, but he thought of his responses.

_Nice to see you too, Dad._

"Hope school was terrible."

Jeff nodded, avoiding his father's eyes.

"Good."

_And you're only adding to that, you know. You should be the leader of the Warblers, not Nick. Because Nick cares. You don't. Just like the rest of them. Like the KKK, except for homophobes-whether the members are white or not._

"Jeff, you are supposed to look me in the eye when I'm talking to you!"

_**Slap!**_

The first blow. Jeff was thrown off the chair and to the floor. He always preferred to be attacked at home, simply because he could land on carpet. It softened the blow-not much, because the carpet was thin, but it was better than the tile or lockers at school.

"Fag. You're the reason your mom is dead. It's all-" Kick. "-your-" Kick. "-fucking-" Punch. "-fault!"

Jeff sat there on the ground and took it. But when he heard the sound of metal hitting plastic, Jeff sat up to see what was going on.

His dad held the big kitchen knife, still stained with his mom's blood, and was aiming it at Jeff.

"Dad!"

"_**SHUT UP**_!"

The knife flew and Jeff rolled out of the way. He scrambled up as his dad reached for the knife drunkenly.

Jeff looked around and, in a moment of indecision, decided to jump out the window.

_Better than facing him._

"Well, Nick, I'm glad you're feeling better," Carole said warmly.

"Thanks, Mrs. Hudson."

"Yeah, I'm glad too. Cause you're really cool, you know?" Finn said, reaching for the mashed potatoes. "And that poke at Karofsky the other day was awesome."

"It was true, though," Nick whispered to Kurt, who giggled.

"Totally. I mean, Karofsky isn't even-"

"Kurt."

"Sorry."

Burt smiled. They were almost like Nick's family, except Nick's the preppy rich boy whose parents were never around. But he fit right in, like he was born to be next to Kurt. Not romantically, of course, but you know. Like brothers.

Finn reached across the table for the butter, but Carole slapped his hand. "Finn, offer the guest some first."

"But Mom, he practically lives here," Finn protested with a mouth full of potatoes.

"Finn."

"Mom, its _butter_-"

"Finn Anthony Hudson, you offer Nick some potatoes _right now_."

Kurt and Nick threw a glance at each other, knowing that Finn wouldn't be happy about that.

Finn sighed angrily and handed Nick the bowl of potatoes.

"Nick, do you want any potatoes and butter?"

Nick laughed and nodded, watching Finn's face fall. "I won't take too much, Finn, don't worry."

Finn cracked a smile and Kurt giggled obnoxiously (for lack of a better word). Nick "accidentally" elbowed Kurt boy while serving himself some potatoes.

Dinner continued, Finn still griping about having to offer Nick everything, Kurt laughing at his step-brother's annoyed faces, and Nick taking small helpings to appease Finn and monitoring just how much Kurt said and did.

Just like always.

Soon after dinner, Kurt and Nick were back in the formers room. "I still think Simon should come back to American Idol."

"Definitely."

Suddenly, Kurt's phone rang. "Hello?"

"_Yo, Kurt. Guess what."_

"Hey, Wesley. What is it?"

"_Sterling jumped out a window. I was walking by-cause I have to go by his house, ya know-and he just jumped out."_

Kurt's eyes widened and Nick looked on curiously. "**What**?"

"_Yeah! I heard this crash-"_

"_We just looked up and he came flying out-"_

"David, Wes, what do you mean he **jumped out**?"

"What?" Nick whispered. "Who jumped out of what?"

"_Like he was being chased by a demon. Maybe he's dead."_

Kurt's stomach churned when David and Wes started laughing at the idea that their classmate, no matter how much they 'hated' him, could have died in front of their eyes.

"Jeff," Kurt mouthed to an impatient Nick, whose eyes widened in surprise.

"What-"

"_We'll talk tomorrow, okay? And stay away from Duval."_

"Wes-"

Kurt looked at the phone when he heard a click, noting that Wes had hung up on him.

Jeff sighed shakily, his chest pained and scrapes on his arms. He heard his father yelling drunkenly out the window, but he didn't care. He'd go back in when his father stopped shouting. Or maybe, Jeff thought wryly, he'd never go back in. His father would never accept him; his mom was gone-what was the point?

He tried to obtain the will to get up and _run_, get _out of here_-

That's when he heard laughing.

"Hey, fag!"

_Oh, fuck._

Nick stood up. "What the hell?" he demanded angrily.

"Jeff jumped out a window and Wes and David saw and they hope-not think, _hope_-he's dead!"

Nick's stomach churned uneasily. Jeff…the blonde who had saved him from near death…nearly dead himself?

"Ku-Kurt!-"

"I'm texting Blaine."

"Kurt, we have to-what if he-" Nick was starting to hyperventilate. "Jeff-"

Kurt put his hands firmly on Nick's shoulders, shaking him to calm him down. "Damnit, Nick, Jeff doesn't need you to freak out."

_Does he need me at all?_ Nick wondered.

_Of course he does!_

_You don't know that!_

_I do. He **gets** you, remember? You said so yourself!_

"Kurt, we have to go-"

"I know, come on, let me get the keys-"

"Kurt, he _needs_ us!-"

"_I know_, Nick! Shut the fuck up, where are my keys-"

"Jeff-"

"That's it. You like him." Kurt stopped running in the middle of the hallway and Nick nearly shoved him down the stairs.

"Kurt, if you don't fucking _get your keys_-"

"Admit it, you like Jeff!"

Nick cringed. "He-he gets me-I _admire_ him-there's a huge difference!"

"Nick, stop lying. You like him."

Nick glared at Kurt. "Well, if we don't fucking _**hurry**_, there isn't going to be much left to like!"

Kurt rolled his eyes and rushed downstairs. "Get in the car."

Jeff looked up in horror as Wes and David came closer.

"Fag."

It was worse, now, because Jeff knew that they were sober. His dad (kind of) had an excuse-Wes and David did not.

Jeff hung his head as they inched closer.

"Drive faster, Kurt!" Nick nearly shouted.

Kurt took a deep breath and tried not to scream at Nick. "I'm driving as fast as my dad lets me!"

Nick glared at Kurt. "Well, drive faster! Wes and David obviously didn't leave, so-"

"I _know_!"

"Did you finally realize you weren't worth it?" Wes demanded.

"Finally decide you aren't good enough?" David continued.

David nudged the blonde's hand with his foot before stepping on it harshly.

Jeff cried out, feeling his bones break.

"You finally realize that no one cares?"

_I realized that a long time ago._

"Drive fucking _faster, Kurt!_"

"I'm trying!"

"There! There's Wes's car!"

David looked up suddenly from where he was jumping on Jeff's hand like a trampoline.

"Shit! It's Kurt!"

"Maybe he's here to help?"

David glared at Wes. "You're an idiot. No, seriously, he's friends with Duval-"

Jeff, through his painful misery, heard Nick's last name and perked up as much he could without letting Wes and David know he could hear them.

"-they're gonna help the fag!"

"_Kill him_!" Jeff heard his dad call. "_Kill him, no one cares about him_!"

Jeff was starting to believe it, too. Until he heard Nick's voice.

"_**JEFF**_!"

Nick saw in horror that David was jumping on something where Jeff must have been, and Nick hoped with his entire being that it wasn't Jeff's head.

Nick wasn't heartless. People seemed to believe he was, but he wasn't. Even if he didn't have budding feelings for the blonde, he hated to see someone that he saw almost every day being beaten to the brink of death by someone he was supposedly friends with. If it had been David Karofsky, or Santana Lopez, or Principal Figgins-

Well, maybe not Figgins. Nick hated the old man. However, no one was stupid enough to attack him, so that could be disregarded.

Point is that Nick would have saved anyone. But it was because he really, _really_ felt bad for the blonde that he jumped out of the (still moving) car to run and punch David in the face.

INTENSE…but to be continued!

BTW I love cliffhangers! :-D

And what the hell is going on with Jeff and his mom's story? Any guesses? I love all the reviews I get (even though I don't usually reply to any of them)!

-italianbikini 3


	4. Uh Oh Pt 2

**I don't own Glee. The song used is "Breakeven" by The Script.**

**Now we get to see a little background of them. Keep in mind that the background is from a few years ago-most likely, they don't remember it.**

_LAST TIME ON WAIT FOR ME:_

_Nick saw in horror that David was jumping on something where Jeff must have been, and Nick hoped with his entire being that it wasn't Jeff's head._

_Point is that Nick would have saved anyone. But it was because he really, really felt bad for the blonde that he jumped out of the (still moving) car to run and punch David in the face._

David stumbled back, glaring at the brunette. "_Shit_!"

"Get the fuck away, Duval." Wes took a step forward and raised his fist. "This is our business."

"It wasn't your business until you made it your business, Montgomery." Nick took a step forward, looking down to make sure he wasn't stepping on Jeff.

Jeff was a few feet away, covered in blood and scratches, and his hand was bent at an angle that it should not have been. From what Nick could see, the blonde was barely breathing (or, Nick thought in horror, not breathing at all).

"_Nick_!" Kurt hissed, running from behind. "What the fuck-"

"KILL HIM!"

"Wes, get him-"

"David, c'mon-"

"Get away from Jeff, Montgomery-"

Everyone was yelling and talking at once until Nick tuned it all out because of one voice.

"Nick, get out of here-"

Nick ducked Wes's flying fist and ran towards Jeff, never taking his eyes off of the blonde.

"Jeff, what the _fuck_-"

"Nick, get _out_-a_way_-"

"No, come on-I'm taking you to the hospital-"

"He's coming, Nick! What the fuck do you not understand about-"

"Who? Who's coming, Jeff?"

"He-my _dad_-"

Everyone froze when they heard glass crack against the pavement. "Well well well. What do we have here?"

_Please don't be his dad, __**please**__ don't be his dad, oh God-I-don't-believe-in __**please**__ don't let me die,__** I'm not ready to die,**__**please**__,__** I have so much to live for**__!_ Nick chanted mentally, attempting to pull Jeff up.

Jeff, meanwhile, had a song running in his head. _Still alive but I'm barely breathing-just praying to a god that I don't believe in._

"The fag convention, I suppose?" Mr. Sterling said, still coming down from his angry-drunk and easing into dangerous/murderous-drunk.

"No way in hell, man!" Wes said, shoving Kurt away. "We aren't fags."

"Good," Mr. Sterling said quietly. "Then it's only those two," he said, dragging his eyes across the boys to Nick and Jeff.

Said two were arguing silently with their eyes as the brunette still tried to pull the blonde up.

"Jeff, get _up_!"

"Nick…Nick, I'm so tired…"

"Of course you're tired, fag."

Nick glared at Jeff's father. "Leave him alone."

"No."

Nick glanced at Kurt. "Kurt, can we go?"

Kurt hesitated before shaking his head. "Find your own way home…I'm not helping a-I won't help a fag."

_His best days will be some of my worst._

Jeff, through his haze, saw Nick's face fall before hardening. "Fine, be that way. Jeff, come on, can you stand?" Nick looked at Jeff, who struggled to stand.

"I don't-"

"Here."

Jeff's stomach lurched as Nick picked him up, bridal style.

"Get him out of here and keep him out. _DON'T EVER LET HIM COME BACK_!" Mr. Sterling screamed, throwing another beer bottle.

Nick just started walking, Jeff (somewhat) safe in his arms, and didn't look back.

Blaine was sitting on his bed, nearly asleep, when his phone buzzed.

Two new messages: Kitty-Kurt & Mommafucka

_Why's Kurt texting me?_ Blaine wondered sleepily. _And my mom?_

_Kitty-Kurt: Sterling jumped out the window of his house, Duval is having a panic attack-HELP ME CAN'T HANDLE IT ON MY OWN D:_

Kurt's was twenty-five minutes ago, and his mom had just texted.

_Mommafucka: Hon, your friend Nick and a blonde boy are downstairs in the living room asking for you._

Nick? And a blonde kid?

Jeff. Blaine knew immediately that it was Jeff with Nick downstairs. Nick had been smitten with Jeff since the blonde first walked into the school two years ago in Freshman year. And the first day they met Jeff was the first day Nick earned the reputation of "fucking badass homophobe".

Back then, before that day, Nick was the most popular guy because he was _nice_, not feared. And Blaine had been the right hand man.

"_Hey, Blaine!"_

_Blaine smiled and practically skipped to Nick where the he was leaning against the formers locker. "Nick! GUESS. WHAT."_

"_What?"_

"_I got a new neighbor," the curly haired brunette said in a sing-song voice. "And he's really, **really** cute," he said in a quieter voice. No one knew the two brunettes were gay (or, in Blaine's case, bisexual). A new school-a time to start over._

"_Name?" Nick moved his eyebrows up and down suggestively._

"_Kurt. Kurt Hummel."_

"_Nice."_

_Nick started walking backwards down the hall, smirking at Blaine. "So, you gonna talk to him?"_

"_I already did." Blaine rolled his eyes and shoved Nick, who stumbled over his own feet on to a boy that Blaine didn't recognize._

"_Oof!"_

"_Sorry!" Nick stood up and helped the boy up, apologizing the entire time. "Sorry, my friend is an absolute nimwad-"_

"_It's okay!" the blonde said, laughing, yet eyes shifting cautiously. "It's fine!"_

_Nick bit his lip, shrugging, before apologizing one more time. "Sorry, regardless."_

"_It's okay…"_

"_Nick. And the nimwad is Blaine."_

_Blaine glared at Nick as the blonde replied, a bit nervously, "I'm Jeff."_

_Nick stood there, smiling like an idiot, until Blaine hit him upside the head. "Nice to meet you," Blaine said, offering a hand._

_Jeff shook it firmly, obviously more relaxed right now. "You too…is he okay?" he asked, gesturing to Nick._

"_He's never okay-"_

"_Yeah, I'm fine!"_

_Nick popped out of his stupor, shaking his unruly hair and smiling. "Sorry, it's just…your hair looks…really soft."_

_Blaine looked at his friend, officially worried for his mental health. Why the hell-_

"_Thank you?" Jeff laughed a bit bitterly. "I guess." His face, though, grew hard._

"_It does!"_

"_So, are you one of them?"_

"_One of who?"_

"_The stupid Senior jocks sent over here to make me feel welcome then throw me in a dumpster."_

"_Why would we-" Nick started. However, the calmer of the brunettes cut him off._

"_We're Freshman, don't worry," Blaine said reassuringly._

_Nick's jaw clenched. "Why would they do **that**?"_

_Jeff laughed bitterly. "Cause I'm gay, and they know it."_

_Blaine saw the exact moment that Nick's world shifted. His angry face relaxed into one of shock, and his hands unclenched. His shoulders drooped, his chest physically tightened, and his usually bright eyes lost all of their spark. Jeff was gay, but he was treated like that? Dumpsters, fake welcome wagons, the butt of jokes? Yeah, there was **no way** that Nick was going to let them come out now. They'd been through it once, no need to go through it again._

"_I-"_

"_I should go."_

"_Jeff-"_

_Nick reached for the blonde. "It's-it's okay. You aren't alone."_

_Wait, what?_

_Nick looked around before lowering his voice and pulling a very surprised Jeff to him. "You aren't alone," he repeated. "Blaine and I…well, Blaine's bi. But I'm gay, too."_

_Blaine glared at Nick. "What the hell?"_

_Nick sighed and looked at Blaine. "Look, after last time, I **know**. But obviously, he needs someone."_

_Jeff smiled. "Thanks, Nick. And Blaine-"_

"_It's not that I have a problem with coming out, but I wanted to tell Jeff myself."_

_Nick threw his arms around Blaine. "You're the best!"_

"_I know!" Blaine smiled at Jeff over Nick's shoulder._

"_Oh, lookie here, boys-it's the fairy convention!"_

_Nick shoved Blaine away and spun around. Jeff's face turned white as a sheet. Blaine, however, just looked at the boy who had spoken._

_He wasn't very much taller that Nick, but to Blaine (who was practically a midget) he was a giant. He had a Mohawk and cold, nearly black eyes. There was a Latino girl in a cheer uniform hanging off of his arm like a horny slut._

"_Nice one, Puck!" Many of the football boys behind him laughed and a few thumped him on the back._

"_Shove off," Nick said bravely._

"_So you aren't a homo?"_

"_I am," Jeff said quickly. "And I'm proud of it!"_

_Nick opened his mouth to tell "Puck" that yes, he was gay and so fucking proud of it and exactly where Puck could go, but the Mohawked boy decided to take Jeff's declaration as an invitation._

_Puck shoved-no, **threw**-Jeff against the lockers and Blaine took a step back, away from the fight._

"_C'mon, freshies, are you gonna help or what?"_

"_Why the hell would we help?" Nick demanded._

"_He's a fag, that's why you should help. He's a freak of nature."_

"_C'mon, just one kick!" one of the taller boys encouraged. "And get the other one to do it, too."_

_Blaine froze and shook his head once he realized they meant him. But by then it was too late._

_Puck had grabbed Nick by the collar and shoved him toward the blonde boy on the ground. "Go ahead. Prove you aren't a fag like him."_

_Jeff looked up at Nick with trapped, hazel eyes._

"_Unless he's your boyfriend," Puck whispered tauntingly into Nick's ear. Nick looked to Blaine-who wasn't there. Blaine was running down the hall._

Blaine didn't know what happened next. He'd just run down the hall at the speed of light, trying to get away. Rumor had it that Nick kicked Jeff in the crotch and walked away smiling. Blaine, however, knew that Nick had been crying later.

"Blaine, dear?"

"Coming, Mom!"

Blaine flew down the stairs three at a time. "Honey, how many times have I told you-?"

"!"

"Don't trip!"

Blaine slowed down-not because of his mom (he never listened to her) but because he heard quiet voices from the living room.

"Jeff, can you open your eyes?"

"Nick…Nick, my hand…"

"I know. Jeff, look at me."

"It really hurts-is that my bone?" Jeff's voice rose.

"Shh, Jeff, look at me-not at your hand-"

"SHIT!"

"Jeffie, I'm sorry, look at me, c'mon-"

"Ice?" Blaine offered, stepping in the room.

"Bandages," Nick requested without looking away from the blonde. "We need bandages. Hurry, Blaine. Please." Then he started murmuring to Jeff, calming him.

"I'll get ice too."

"Th-thanks…" Jeff stammered out.

"Shh…Blaine-"

"I'm going."

Blaine turned on his heel, heading for the kitchen, as he heard his phone ring.

"It's alright, alright, tonight, tonight! Going at it to-"

"Kurt, what's up?" Blaine asked, balancing the phone between his shoulder and his ear.

"Blaine, I…I did something really bad. Really, _really_ bad."

"Does it have anything to do with why Sterling is bleeding to death on my couch and Duval is slaving over him?"

"I-what?"

Blaine opened the cabinet, looking for something to put ice in. "Nick came to my house with Jeff and they were pretty beat up. Did you help with that? Did you make ay of those marks? Hm?"

"Blaine, I can explain-"

"Nick is our friend, and he cares about Jeff." Blaine closed the cabinet in anger.

"It was life or death-"

"By Wes and David?" he laughed bitterly.

"No, Mr. Sterling was drunk-"

"Look, I have to go."

"Blaine, please, hear me out-"

"I can listen to Nick."

Blaine slammed his phone down on the counter angrily. Kurt didn't help them? What was he thinking?

"Blaine."

"Nick!" Blaine spun around. "Nick, go sit down, I can get it-"

"I can't be in there right now."

"Nick."

Nick sighed and leaned against the doorframe. "He's so fragile…I can't stand it. It's my fault…if I had gotten there earlier…if I hadn't said that thing about Jeff…"

"Nick, it isn't your fault. They're closed-minded idiots."

"How did we get stuck with them?"

"That wasn't on us, either."

"Yeah."

"Go take care of Jeff, okay? Maybe get some sleep."

"Yeah. Sleep."

"Nick, Jeff will be fine."

"Do you think he forgave me?"

Blaine was about to ask Nick to elaborate, but at the sound of Jeff's strangled call for someone, Nick ran as fast as he could to get to the blonde.

Jeff was in pain, but he couldn't feel it. He just knew he was. Er-was supposed to be. His hand was twisted in a very, _very_ strange position, it was coated in blood, and Nick looked like he was about to pass out.

And he though he saw some bone sticking out. So maybe that was why.

"Ni-Nick," he moaned. "Nicky-"

"I'm here," Nick said, running up to the blonde. "Hey, shh, hey…"

"Nicky-Nicky, it _hurts_-"

"I know-I'm going to kill those bastards, every last one of them-"

"Nicky, don't talk that way, please…"

Nick sighed and ran a hand across Jeff's cheek. "Okay, I won't. But Jeff, I'm so sorry-"

"For what?" Jeff demanded before collapsing into a coughing fit.

Nick bit his lip, a guilty look on his face. Once Jeff stopped coughing, Nick spoke. "I told Wes and David that your outfit looked cute."

"When?"

"The day I was beaten up."

"So?" Jeff whispered.

"That's why David fucking_ jumped_ on your hand. They knew it would hurt a fag like me." Nick rolled his eyes.

Jeff frowned weakly. "Don't say that."

"What? They _did_ jump on your hand."

Jeff struggled to sit up, glaring at Nick when he tried to help. "Not that." He started coughing, slapping Nick's hand away. "That _word_."

"What word?"

"Fa-"

Jeff fell into another intense coughing fit, but Nick knew what he meant.

Fag. The one word he'd called the blonde from day two-because on day one, he was one too. The one word that had been used so many times on a daily basis as almost a joke. How could it be a joke if it hurt people so badly?

"I should ask you that," Jeff whispered hoarsely, making Nick realize he'd voiced the last part aloud. "How _is_ that a joke?"

"Ice and bandages," Blaine announced, saving Nick from certain awkwardness. "Feeling better, Jeff?"

"Eh."

"Here, Nick, you should take some ice too-"

"I'm fine," he said curtly. "Don't worry about me."

Nick stood up and hobbled over to the icemaker, grabbing a cup and filling it with ice and water.

Jeff watched Nick carefully as Blaine muttered about how much of a hypocrite Nick was.

"Says he doesn't want ice, then turns around and starts drinking it-"

"I can hear you, Anderson. I'm right here."

"Yeah yeah yeah…"

Jeff hissed when Blaine tied the bandage around the bone. "Oh, sorry."

"Don't hurt him," Nick whispered, making Jeff look at him again.

"Nicky, can you come here?"

Nick glanced at Jeff in the mirror. "I-sure, I guess…"

When Nick reached the couch, Jeff took Nick's hand in his non-bandaged one. "You need to lie down."

"No."

"Nicky-"

"I'm fine, I'll sit." To make his point, he sat next to Blaine on the floor with his back to Jeff while still holding the blonde's hand so he could hide his grimace.

"Nick…" Jeff cooed quietly. "Nicky, you were so brave out there…"

"Not really."

Neither of them noticed Blaine's quiet retreat or how he left an ice pack next to Nick on the floor, just in case.

"Yeah. You stood up to Montgomery…and Thomson…and Hummel…and then my dad."

"Your father has no right to treat you like that. I refuse to call him a dad because dads actually care."

Jeff looked at the back of Nick's head in curiosity. The way he said that…it seemed like he was speaking from experience. If so, then Nick was braver than Jeff had originally thought.

That day, when Jeff told Nick who actually hurt him. Nick seemed surprised.

But then again, he acted straight on a daily basis. Nick could act, too?

"Cool," he whispered.

"What is?" Nick asked, turning his head. What in that last statement had been cool?

"You can act," Jeff whispered, his voice getting quieter the sleepier he got.

"Says who?"

"Me."

Nick laughed. He actually _laughed_. Full blown, head thrown back, deep-throating, hearty laughing. Not a quiet chuckle like Jeff was used to. A laugh.

A laugh he had caused.

Jeff could die happy.

Nick finally came down from his high. He didn't know why that had been so funny-it just was, he guessed. It was the situation, maybe.

"Okay, I don't know what gave you that idea," Nick giggled. "But I don't act."

Jeff was silent.

Nick squeezed the blonde's hand. "Jeff?"

Still, nothing. Not even a squeeze.

"Jeff, answer me."

It was silent.

Nick turned himself around and looked at Jeff's sleeping-he hoped-figure. "Jeffie?" he whispered quietly, the word just barely slipping out of his mouth on a breath he didn't know he was letting out.

Jeff's eyelids flickered. "Nicky?" he breathed out hoarsely, his lips barely moving while his hand gripped Nick's hand.

"It's okay, I'm here."

"Wait…let me sleep…don't take me to the hospital-" Jeff paused to cough. "-yet. Don't take me until I wake up…" His eyes flittered shut again.

"I'll wait, Jeffie. Don't worry. I'll wait."


End file.
